PROSPERIDAD, Agusan del Sur (PNA) – At least 199 former New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in the Caraga region pledged allegiance to the government and received financial assistance in a ceremony at the provincial capitol here on Wednesday, Oct. 5.

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. led the distribution of assistance to the former NPA rebels, together with governors and local officials.
Of the 199 NPA surrenderers who received assistance under the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP), 169 came from Agusan del Sur; Surigao del Norte, 24; Agusan del Norte, four; and Butuan City, two.
Each former rebel received P15,000 in immediate assistance, P50,000 as livelihood aid, and P21,000 for their integration into their families and communities.
The surrenderers from Agusan del Sur turned over 50 high-powered firearms and 13 short firearms which were remunerated through the E-CLIP, the amounts of which depended on the calibers of the surrendered firearms.
In his message, Abalos welcomed the former rebels back to mainstream society and assured them of the continuing support of the government for their recovery.
“The government, under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., is ready to listen and respond to your needs. We are assuring you that you made the right decision to surrender and return to the government,” Abalos said.
He also told the former rebels to always ensure the future of their families, especially the children.
“Loloy,” a recipient of the E-CLIP aid, acknowledged the government for the new opportunities he received.
“I was right when I decided to leave the communist organization and go back to the government,” he said in the vernacular during an interview with reporters on the sidelines of the event.
He said the cash aid will help him rebuild his life and family, as he is eager to return peacefully to their community.